Rex Iustissimus
The Latin title Rex Iustissimus, anglicised as Most Righteous King or Most Righteous Majesty, is a styled title used by the King of Hansland. It refers to Hansland's claim that its monarch has been the legitimate, or "most just", ruler of Hans Island since the kingdom's establishment in 2020.
History
At the time of Hansland's foundation, Hans Island was the subject of a decades-long territorial dispute between Canada and Denmark. Canadian micronationalist Carl Ó Gairbhith claimed ownership over the small uninhabited island, accusing the two quarreling nations of political brinkmanship for allowing their disagreement to continue for over 40 years without any concrete steps towards a peaceful and viable long-term solution.
The establishment of Hansland was publicly declared on 10 October 2020, with its government, under the reign of the now-king Carl I, proclaiming its intention to finally bring lasting peace to Hans Island. These developments were ignored by the governments of both Canada and Denmark, who eventually resolved their dispute in 2022 by dividing the island between their two nations.[1] The Hanslandic government sent letters of protest to the Canadian and Danish foreign ministries stating its objection to being excluded from the negotiation process as well as reasserting its territorial claim over the entirety of Hans Island, but received no reply. Hansland's parliament reacted by proclaiming King Carl as "the most just King of Hans Island" following a speech by prime minister Dionne Anderson on 10 October 2022, the second anniversary of the nation's founding.
Creation
The title has been since adapted as "Most Righteous King", or Rex Iustissimus in Latin, and became a formal part of the style of the Hanslandic sovereign.[a] There are conflicting stories regarding the official creation of this title following the 2022 speech by prime minister Anderson. The Hanslandic Catholic Church, an independent Catholic dominion, formally bestowed the title upon King Carl I in 2023, although neither the title nor the church itself has been recognized by the papacy. The Parliament of Hansland later conferred the title on Carl, his heirs and successors, and signed the act into law.
Usage in Hansland
The anglicised version of the title is part of the Hanslandic monarch's full honorific title, currently:
We, Carl the First, by the Grace of God, Most Righteous King of Hansland and of the Hanslandic Dominions beyond the Seas, ever Increaser of the Realm
When addressing the king, or referring to him in verbal or written communication, Royal Majesty is typically used, while Most Righteous Majesty is reserved for only the most formal of occasions. The phrase Dei Gratia Iustissimus Rex Hanslandiae is inscribed on Hanslandic coins, meaning "By the Grace of God, Most Righteous King of Hansland", and Carl I has also been known as "the Righteous" or "the Just" since 2022.
Usage elsewhere
Rex Iustissimus is not commonly used to describe the king outside of Hansland unless it is the context of historical study of the micronation and its monarchy. While traveling abroad or conducting diplomacy with foreign heads of state or other monarchs, the king is often referred to as His Hanslandic Majesty.
Similar titles
The monarchs of other countries have had similar titles bestowed upon them:
Historical
China: Son of Heaven
France: Most Christian Majesty
Hungary: Apostolic Majesty[b]
Ottoman Empire: Sultan of Sultans
Current
Austenasia: Imperial and Majestic Highness
Ebenthal: The Most Dignified
Pavlov: Defender of the Faith, Turtle, and Elephants
Sancratosia: Sovereign Highness
Saudi Arabia: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
Spain: Rex Catholicissimus (Most Catholic Majesty)
United Kingdom: Defender of the Faith
Vatican City: Holiness